Buffer-specific face overrides

Buffer-specific face overrides

[Paul Moore]

Is there a way in Emacs to specify the value of a face on a buffer-local basis? 
I know this is possible in XEmacs using specifiers, but these are not available 
(AFAICT) in Gnu Emacs, and I haven't found an equivalent.

As an example of what I want to achieve, I'd like to set the background colour 
of the *scratch* buffer to something different from the colour I use for other 
buffers.

I've checked the manuals and the FAQs (including the Windows one) and searched 
via Google (but it's hard to know what search terms to use) and haven't been 
able to find anything.

My Emacs version is GNU Emacs 21.3.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.0.2195) running on 
Windows 2000 (and also XP Pro).

It's not a big deal, but it's something I haven't been able to transfer over 
from my XEmacs setup so far.

Thanks for any help,
Paul.

Re: Buffer-specific face overrides

[Stefan Monnier]

> Is there a way in Emacs to specify the value of a face on a buffer-local
> basis?  I know this is possible in XEmacs using specifiers, but these are
> not available  (AFAICT) in Gnu Emacs, and I haven't found an equivalent.

There is a patch by Miles Bader for such a feature.
Look for face-remapping-alist.


        Stefan

Re: Buffer-specific face overrides

[Paul Moore]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> Is there a way in Emacs to specify the value of a face on a buffer-local
>> basis?  I know this is possible in XEmacs using specifiers, but these are
>> not available  (AFAICT) in Gnu Emacs, and I haven't found an equivalent.
>
> There is a patch by Miles Bader for such a feature.
> Look for face-remapping-alist.

Thanks. Is there any likelihood that this will get into Emacs 21.4?

Paul
-- 
This signature intentionally left blank

Re: Buffer-specific face overrides

[Stefan Monnier]

> Thanks.  Is there any likelihood that this will get into Emacs 21.4?

I think the probability is pretty close to 0.
It'll likely be added one way or another in the subsequent non-bugfix
version, tho, but we're talking several years ahead.


        Stefan

Re: Buffer-specific face overrides

[John Robot]

And what about the fact of having another background color for
some buffers, by default?

For example : being able to say that the *shell* buffers will
always be with a dark background, or stuff like that?

Best regards,
  John

-- 
John Robot

Re: Buffer-specific face overrides

[Kevin Rodgers]

John Robot wrote:
 > And what about the fact of having another background color for
 > some buffers, by default?
 >
 > For example : being able to say that the *shell* buffers will
 > always be with a dark background, or stuff like that?

Since the set-face-ATTRIBUTE user function and the set-face-attribute
utility function accept an optional FRAME argument, you can do so on a
frame-by-frame basis.  Not to mention, background-color is a frame
parameter, which is frame-specific by definition.

So if you're willing to run your *shell* buffer in your own frame,
voila:

(setq special-display-buffer-names
       (cons "*shell*" special-display-buffer-names))

(let ((special-display-frame-alist
        (cons '(background-color . "dark") special-display-frame-alist)))
   (shell))

-- 
Kevin Rodgers

Re: Buffer-specific face overrides

[Miles Bader]

Paul Moore <pf_moore@yahoo.co.uk> writes:
>> There is a patch by Miles Bader for such a feature.
>> Look for face-remapping-alist.
>
> Thanks. Is there any likelihood that this will get into Emacs 21.4?

Not really; for a while it looked like it might, but then I had an
argument with RMS over some details, and (1) I just don't have the
stomach to fight about it with a release pending, (2) the fact that it
happened indicates that the feature probably isn't ready for release
quite yet anyway.

If someone wants a patch against a recent CVS emacs, I'd be happy to
make one though (if anyone happens to use my "emacs-miles" arch branch,
it's already included there).

-Miles
-- 
Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it
has to be us.  -- Jerry Garcia

Re: Buffer-specific face overrides

[David Combs]

In article <878ybptxaw.fsf@tc-1-100.kawasaki.gol.ne.jp>,
Miles Bader  <miles@gnu.org> wrote:
>   ...
>If someone wants a patch against a recent CVS emacs, I'd be happy to
>make one though (if anyone happens to use my "emacs-miles" arch branch,
>it's already included there).
>
>-Miles
>-- 
>Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it
>has to be us.  -- Jerry Garcia

So, Miles, what have you added/fixed to your emacs?

Do a lot of people use it?

If so, maybe people like me should give it a try?

(Have used emacs for years and years and years, but, 
compared to most of the people in this
group, would be considered pretty much a beginner.  No,
I don't program (hardly at all) in elisp.  But I do
very much enjoy what few nifty tricks I'm managed
to pick up over the years.)

Where might I find your emacs -- assuming it's not
way beyond my ability ...?

Thanks!

David